1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a method of producing a newspaper.
2. Description of Related Art
A classic newspaper is typically composed of a plurality of sections which are positioned one inside the other, are folded once in the center all together and, in turn, comprise individual sheets which are positioned one upon the other and folded one inside the other. A section, also referred to as a bundle, typically contains from two to ten sheets, depending on the amount of printing. A section may also contain half-sheets which are not folded to produce the section. The newspaper is formed from a plurality of sections which are again folded one inside the other. In the case of a typical daily newspaper, for example the outermost, first section contains the front page and the international part, the second section contains the regional part, the third section contains the financial part, etc. The reader finds all the sections in the correct order when he/she opens up the newspaper for the first time. The individual sheets or pages are likewise arranged in the correct order when the sections are opened up. The known, always identical basic composition of a certain newspaper makes it possible for the regular reader to find quickly the parts which interest him/her.
In exceptional cases, it is also possible for the newspaper to comprise just one section. This section comprises, for example, a plurality of sheets which are folded one inside the other twice.
In the case of conventional printing methods for producing a newspaper, for example letter press printing, offset printing and gravure printing, a rotary printing machine is used for one or more paper webs to be printed at the same time in a plurality of printing units and to be folded to form the end product or newspaper. This printing method is static in the sense that a certain number of identical newspapers are printed by first of all all of the first, second and further pages being printed and, following completion of the printing, being joined together to form a section or to form a complete newspaper. In order to print a product with different contents, the printing machine is stopped, the printing formes, e.g. plates, blocks, cylinders, are changed and the printing machine is restarted.
Such static printing methods are only economically viable for very large print jobs. For this reason, even national daily newspapers are printed in only one center or in a small number of centers and distributed from there, it often being the case that long distances have to be covered precisely when the newspapers are shipped abroad. The topicality of the newspaper contents suffers as a result of the transporting time necessary for this purpose. The transportation itself involves high outlay in terms of personnel and energy.
Digital printing machines, e.g. laser printers or ink-jet printers, in which a plurality of different pages can be printed sequentially, i.e. one after the other, without the printing machine having to be stopped (dynamic printing method), are known. Digital printing machines are used, at present, to produce end products with an end format of typically DIN A4 and less, said end products comprising a plurality of sheets which are not folded or are folded once and, once printing has been completed are collected and connected to one another, e.g. by wire stapling or gluing. Previously known digitally printed products are not comparable in terms of their composition and appearance, with the current, conventionally produced newspapers.